Accessibility navigation


The timing of eukaryotic evolution: Does a relaxed molecular clock reconcile proteins and fossils?

Douzery, E. J. P., Snell, E. A., Bapteste, E., Delsuc, F. and Philippe, H. (2004) The timing of eukaryotic evolution: Does a relaxed molecular clock reconcile proteins and fossils? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101 (43). pp. 15386-15391. ISSN 0027-8424

Full text not archived in this repository.

It is advisable to refer to the publisher's version if you intend to cite from this work. See Guidance on citing.

To link to this item DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0403984101

Abstract/Summary

The use of nucleotide and amino acid sequences allows improved understanding of the timing of evolutionary events of life on earth. Molecular estimates of divergence times are, however, controversial and are generally much more ancient than suggested by the fossil record. The limited number of genes and species explored and pervasive variations in evolutionary rates are the most likely sources of such discrepancies. Here we compared concatenated amino acid sequences of 129 proteins from 36 eukaryotes to determine the divergence times of several major clades, including animals, fungi, plants, and various protists. Due to significant variations in their evolutionary rates, and to handle the uncertainty of the fossil record, we used a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock simultaneously calibrated by six paleontological constraints. We show that, according to 95% credibility intervals, the eukaryotic kingdoms diversified 950-1,259 million years ago (Mya), animals diverged from choanoflagellates 761-957 Mya, and the debated age of the split between protostomes and deuterostomes occurred 642-761 Mya. The divergence times appeared to be robust with respect to prior assumptions and paleontological calibrations. Interestingly, these relaxed clock time estimates are much more recent than those obtained under the assumption of a global molecular clock, yet bilaterian diversification appears to be approximate to100 million years more ancient than the Cambrian boundary.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences
ID Code:10472
Uncontrolled Keywords:DETERMINING DIVERGENCE TIMES, CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION, METAZOAN PHYLA, ANIMAL PHYLA, GENE FUSION, ORIGIN, ORGANISMS, PLANTS, DATES, RADIATION

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Page navigation